Combination furniture piece



July 11, 1967 E. J. MAUTNER 3,330,226

COMBINATION FURNITURE PIECE Filed Aug. 31, 1965 '3 Sheets-Sheet l 24 JIHHHH' 1D HHHHHL l I l I 3 INVENTOR.

EDWARD J. MAUTNER BY2 AW 7 ATTORNEY.

July 11, 1967 E. J. MAUTNER 3,330,226

COMBIFNATION FURNITURE PIECE Filed Aug. 31, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 JIM/J EDWARD J. MA UTNEI? BYWWMILLZ/ ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofi 3,330,226 Patented July 11, 1967 ice 3,330,226 COMBINATION FURNITURE PIECE Edward J. Mautner, North Bay Village, Fla. (7927 West Drive, Miami Beach, Fla. 33141) Filed Aug. 31, 1965, Ser. No. 484,050 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-38) This invention relates to a combination furniture piece, and, more particularly, to a combination bar and collapsible dining table.

As is perhaps well known, many homes and apartments completely lack dining areas, or, are provided with small dining areas located in a portion of a living room area. Convertible furniture units, having disappearing tables, have been used in the past and are common-place in modern living, for the purpose of storing dining tables within particular pieces of furniture in order that the main floor area will be available for other functions when the dining table is not in use, in the aforementioned dwellings. Prior furnishings of this character have often been too bulky for modern abodes or do not provide adequate room for seating more than two or three people, aside from these facts, many furniture units do not enhance the decorative scheme of the particular room and more often than not crowd the already small dining area.

The present invention relates to a new and improved furniture piece which combines a waist high bar structure and drop-leaf table. The bar has a storage receptacle therein, with a forward-facing entrance which allows the table to be moved from within the receptacle to an extended position for dining purposes. The table includes a plurality of drop leaves, and a supporting structure with wheels thereon. The leaves are normally held in a vertical position during storage and are uplifted into a horizontal dining position for use. Also, the supporting structure includes a plurality of legs for upholding the drop leaves in a horizontal position. The drop leaves allow the table to be expanded into three distinct configurations to provide various table lengths for accommodating different groups of people of varying numbers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a useful piece of furniture, a bar, containing a hidden collapsible dining table that is extensible for use by a plurality of people without rendering the bar unusable when the table is in the extended position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination bar and collapsible dining table having an improved drop-leaf structure for providing a dining table that forms a harmonious and attractive article of furniture, which can be constructed with excellent lines and in any suitable finish.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bar and drop-leaf table combination wherein one drop leaf conceals the table in a storage receptacle in the bar structure. The table includes a self-supporting base structure with a vertical support member attached thereto for carrying a plurality of drop leaves for movement from a vertical stored position to a horizontal dining position. The support member has attached thereto a plurality of legs for suporting the drop leaves in a horizontal plane.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the apparatus.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view, partially broken away and illustrating the combination of the bar and drop-leaf table in collapsed position;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation View of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the bar with the drop-leaf table positioned in front of the bar and first and second leaves partially extended;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation view of the bar with the drop-leaf table extended to the maximal distance from the bar;

FIGURE 7 is a partial side elevation view as shown in FIGURE 6 with the forward drop-leaf in a horizontal dining position;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of FIGURE 7 with the top of the bar being shown.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, and referring, particularly, to FIGURE 1, showing the preferred embodiment of the combination bar and dining table, designated as numeral 12, this furniture piece includes a bar or cabinet 14 and a drop-leaf table 16. The bar 14 has a frame including a pair of laterally disposed vertical side pieces or walls 18 and 20 and a front panel 22, all of which support the waist high top 24. The front panel 22 has an en trance or opening 26 leading into a receptacle 28 within the generally rectangular, parallelepiped shaped bar 14. The opening 26 in the front panel 22 of the bar 14 may be provided with a suitable door or closure means, not shown, but in the preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, a portion of the drop-leaf table 16 acts as a closure means and conceals the table within the receptacle 28.

To this end, the drop-leaf table includes a self-supporting carrying means, designated as numeral 30, which supports and carries a plurality of drop leaves at the uppermost end of the main vertical support members 32 and 34, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The main support members 32 and 34 include base portions or feet 36 and 37 having a plurality of adjustable wheels 38 connected to the lower side of the base portions to enable the table to be rolled freely and easily from the storage receptacle. The uppermost end of the main support members 32 and 34 are connected to one another by a table top portion or rail 40, with other rib or cross-members, not shown, bracing the main support members.

It will be observed that a forward drop-leaf 42 is hinged to rail 40 and rotatable from a vertical plane, which is parallel to the front panel 22 of the bar, to a horizontal dining position about the hinge 43 which is connected to the uppermost portion of the main support members 32 and 34. The forward drop-leaf 42 is approximately equal in size to the opening 26 in the front panel 22. To uphold table leaf 42 in its horizontal dining position, a leg 44 is provided, which has an adjustable wheel 45 connected to its lower end. Leg 44 is hingedly attached to the main support member 32 by vertically spaced hinges 46 and 47 on arms 48 and 49, respectively, for rotatable movement about a vertical axis on adjustable wheel 45 from an idle position to a support position, as best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5 and 7 and 8. Also, leg 44 is releasably locked by any well known latching means, not shown, to the support member 34 in the idle position, and to the forward-facing drop-leaf 42 in the supporting position.

In use, when the forward drop-leaf 42 is in the dining position, the upper surface of this leaf and the table top portion or rail 40 have the same common plane. Leaf 42 may be raised to a dining position to provide a dining table for one person while the main support member 32 of the drop-leaf table 16 remains within the storage receptacle, or the leaf 42 may be raised when the support member is in an extended position, as illustrated in FIG- URE 7, thereby providing a larger dining table for accommodating more people.

It will also be observed that a pair of drop leaves, designated as panels 50 and 52, are connected to the uppermost, rearward portion of the main support members 32 and 34. The first and second panel 50 and 52, respectively, are hingedly connected end to end by hinges 56, with the opposite end of the first panel 50 being connected to the uppermost, rearward portion of the main support members 32 and 34 by hinges 58, and with the opposite end of the second panel 52 pivotally connected within the receptacle of the bar by fasteners 60.

To place the pair of drop leaves in service, that is, in an extended dining position, the carrying means 30 is wheeled out of the storage receptacle 28 which is located within the bar. This outward movement of the carrying means is limited by the length of the pair of drop leaves. When the carrying means is in the position of maximal extension, the upper surfaces of the pair of drop leaves 50 and 52 lie in a common plane with the upper surface of the rail or table top portion 40.

In order to support the pair of drop leaves in a horizontal position, leg 62 is provided, which'is similar to leg 44, described above. Leg 62 is hingedly attached to sup- .port member 34 by vertically-spaced hinges 64 and 66 on arms 68 and 70, respectively, for rotatable movement, on adjustable wheel 72, from an idle position to a support position, as best seen in FIGURES 4-5 and 7-8. Also, leg 62 is releasably locked by any well known latching means, not shown, to support member 34 in an idle position and to the pair of drop leaves in the supporting position.

If desired, the hinges connected to the various leaves of the table may be of the hidden type, in order to present a smooth table top appearance when the table is erected in a dining position.

By virtue of the construction of the combination bar and collapsible table, it is possible to erect three dining tables of varying lengths capable of accommodating a single person, or different groups of people of varying numbers. After use, the table is easily collapsed into the recess in the bar, thereby providing a compact and serviceable piece of furniture.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.

What is claimed is:

1. In an article of furniture, first, second, and third rectangular leaves each having a forward edge and a rearward edge, means supporting said first leaf for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis generally coincident with its rearward edge, from a first vertical position to a second horizontal position, first hinge means connecting the rearward edge of said second leaf to the forward edge of said first leaf, for relative pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis parallel with said first axis, a rail, floor-engaging means supporting said rail at the elevation of said first axis, in parallel therewith, second hinge means connecting the forward edge of said second leaf with the rearward edge of said rail, for relative pivotal movement about a third horizontal axis parallel with said first axis, third hinge means connecting the rearward edge of said third leaf with the forward edge of said rail, for relative pivotal movement about a fourth horizontal axis parallel with said first axis, first leg means hinged to said floor-engaging means for pivoting about a first vertical axis, from a first position substantially in the Vertical plane throughsaid rail, to a second extended position beneath and horizontally supporting said second leaf, and second leg means hinged to said floor-engaging means for pivoting about a second vertical axis, from a first position substantially in the vertical plane through said rail, to a second extended position beneath and horizontally supporting said third leaf.

2. The article of claim 1, said floor-engaging means including a foot extending horizontally in a plane normal to said first horizontal axis, and floor-engaging caster means carried by said foot and engaging the floor at spaced points in the direction of extent of said foot, to hold said floor-engaging means erect in said plane.

3. The article of claim 1, said floor-engaging means including first and second floor-engaging legs fixed with said rail at respective ends thereof, said first and second leg means being hinged to said first and second legs, respectively, for pivoting about said first and second verti cal axes, respectively.

4. The article of claim 1, said first-named means comprising a cabinet having laterally spaced upstanding side walls and a top connected with said side walls, said first leaf being hinged to and beneath said top for pivoting about said first horizontal axis.

5. The article of claim 4, said cabinet being floor supported and including a front wall having a forwardlyfacing opening, said opening being substantially obturated by said third leaf when said leaves, rail, floor-engaging means and leg means are collapsed within said cabinet,

beneath said stop, with said leaves in essentially vertical positions.

6. In an article of furniture, first and second rectangular leaves each having a forward edge and a rearward edge, means supporting said first leaf for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis generally coincident with its rearward edge, from a first vertical position to a second horizontal position, ,said means supporting said first leaf comprising a cabinet having laterally spaced upstanding side walls and a top connected with said side walls, said first leaf being hinged to and beneath said top for pivoting about said first horizontal axis, first hinge means connecting the rearward edge of said second leaf to the forward edge of said first leaf, for relative pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis parallel with said first axis, a rail, floor-engaging means supporting said rail at the elevation of said first axis, in parallel therewith, second hinge means connecting the forward edge of said second leaf with the rearward edge of said rail, for relative pivotal movement about a third horizontal axis parallel wiht said first axis, and leg means hinged to said floor-engaging means, for pivoting about a first vertical axis, from a first position substantially in the vertical plane through said rail, to a second extended position beneath and horizontally supporting said second leaf.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner,

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner, 

1. IN AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE, FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD RECTANGULAR LEAVES EACH HAVING A FORWARD EDGE AND A REARWARD EDGE, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID FIRST LEAF FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS GENERALLY COINCIDENT WITH ITS REARWARD EDGE, FROM A FIRST VERTICAL POSITION TO A SECOND HORIZONTAL POSITION, FIRST HINGE MEANS CONNECTING THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID SECOND LEAF TO THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID FIRST LEAF, FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A SECOND HORIZONTAL AXIS PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST AXIS, A RAIL, FLOOR-ENGAGING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID RAIL AT THE ELEVATION OF SAID FIRST AXIS, IN PARALLEL THEREWITH, SECOND HINGE MEANS CONNECTING THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID SECOND LEAF WITH THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID RAIL, FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A THIRD HORIZONTAL AXIS PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST AXIS, THIRD HINGE MEANS CONNECTING THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID THIRD LEAF WITH THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID RAIL, FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FOURTH HORIZONTAL AXIS PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST AXIS, FIRST LEG MEANS HINGED TO SAID FLOOR-ENGAGING MEANS FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A FIRST VERTICAL AXIS, FROM A FIRST POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE VERTICAL PLANE THROUGH SAID RAIL, TO A SECOND EXTENDED POSITION BENEATH AND HORIZONTALLY SUPPORTING SAID SECOND LEAF, AND SECOND LEG MEANS HINGED TO SAID FLOOR-ENGAGING MEANS FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A SECOND VERTICAL AXIS, FROM A FIRST POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE VERTICAL PLANE THROUGH SAID RAIL, TO A SECOND EXTENDED POSITION BENEATH AND HORIZONTALLY SUPPORTING SAID THIRD LEAF. 